| Information processing apparatus system, fuel cell unit, and display method thereof -> Monitor Keywords |
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Information processing apparatus system, fuel cell unit, and display method thereofRelated Patent Categories: Chemistry: Electrical Current Producing Apparatus, Product, And Process, Fuel Cell, Subcombination Thereof Or Methods Of OperatingInformation processing apparatus system, fuel cell unit, and display method thereof description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060068241, Information processing apparatus system, fuel cell unit, and display method thereof. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the benefit of priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-289205, filed Sep. 30, 2004, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND [0002] 1. Field [0003] The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus system, a fuel cell unit, and a display method thereof, and more particularly, relates to an information processing apparatus system which has a fuel cell unit and which displays fuel management information thereof, the fuel cell unit, and a display method thereof. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] In recent years, as a secondary battery which is one of electrical power sources used for information processing apparatuses, for example, a lithium ion battery has been used. As one of features of the secondary battery, compared to a primary battery, which is a disposable battery, for example, the secondary battery can be repeatedly used when charged by a commercial power supply. [0006] However, since being the secondary battery, the lithium ion battery must be charged by a commercial power supply or the like. [0007] In addition, along with significant improvement in performance of recent information processing apparatuses, electrical power consumption of information processing apparatuses tends to increase. It has been desired to increase an energy density, that is, the amount of output energy per unit volume or per unit mass, of the lithium ion battery supplying a power to information processing apparatuses. However, in consideration of the current technical situations, it is difficult to expect remarkable improvement. [0008] On the other hand, it is said that the energy density of a fuel cell is theoretically about 10 times that of the lithium ion battery (for example, disclosed in "Fuel Cell 2004" published by Nikkei BP Inc., October 2003, pp. 49 to 50, 64). When having the volume or mass equivalent to that of the lithium ion battery, the fuel cell has a potential capacity of supplying a power for a longer time (such as 10 times longer). In addition, when a power supply time of the fuel cell is assumed to be equal to that of the lithium ion battery, the fuel cell has a potential capacity of reducing the size and weight thereof as compared to the lithium ion battery. [0009] In addition, in the fuel cell, when a fuel such as methanol is filled in a small container to form a fuel unit, and the fuel unit is exchanged for a new one when the fuel runs out, it is not necessary to charge the fuel cell by an external power supply. Hence, for example, in a place at which AC power facilities are not provided, compared to the case in which a power is ensured by the lithium ion battery, when a power is ensured by the fuel cell, an information processing apparatus can be used for a longer period of time. [0010] Furthermore, when an information processing apparatus (such as a notebook type personal computer) provided with a lithium ion battery is used for a long period of time, since operation cannot be performed for a long time only by a power supplied from the lithium ion battery, the information processing apparatus must be used limitedly at a place at which an AC power source is available. However, the information processing apparatus can be used for a long period of time when a power is ensured by a fuel cell, and in addition, it can be expected that the limitation caused by the lithium ion battery is not applied to the case of the fuel cell. [0011] From the above points of view, research and development of fuel cells attempting to supply powers to information processing apparatuses has been carried out, and for example, proposals have been disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 2003-142137 and 2002-169629. [0012] Among various types of fuel cells (such as those disclosed by K. Ikeda in "Everything about Fuel Cell" published by Nippon Jitsugyo Publishing Co., Ltd., August 2001), as a fuel cell suitably applied to information processing apparatuses, a DMFC method cell may be mentioned in consideration of compactness, light weight, easy fuel handling, and the like. In this type of fuel cell, methanol is used as a fuel and is directly supplied to a fuel electrode without converting it into hydrogen. [0013] In the DMFC, the concentration of methanol supplied to a fuel electrode is an important issue, and when this concentration is high, the power generation efficiency is degraded, so that sufficient performance cannot be obtained. This insufficient performance is caused by a phenomenon, a so-called crossover phenomenon, in that a part of methanol used as a fuel pass through an electrolyte film (solid polymer electrolyte film) provided between a fuel electrode (negative electrode) and an air electrode (positive electrode). The crossover phenomenon becomes remarkable when the concentration of methanol is high, and when methanol of low concentration is supplied to the fuel electrode, the above phenomenon is suppressed. [0014] When methanol of low concentration is used as a fuel, high performance is easily ensured. However, the volume of fuel is increased (such as 10 times larger) compared to the case of methanol of high concentration, and as a result, the size of a fuel container (fuel cartridge) is inevitably increased. [0015] Accordingly, in a system in which the size of the fuel cartridge is reduced by using methanol of high concentration, and in which before the methanol is supplied to a fuel electrode, the concentration thereof is decreased by circulating water produced in power generation using small pumps, valves or the like, the crossover phenomenon can be suppressed. By the system described above, the power generation efficiency can be improved. Hereinafter, the pumps, valves and the like used for circulation are collectively called an auxiliary device, and in addition, the system for circulation is called a dilution circulating system. [0016] As described above, while the size and the weight of a fuel cell unit are reduced as a whole, a fuel cell unit having high power generation efficiency can be realized by using methanol at a diluted low concentration, (see "Fuel Cell 2004" published by Nikkei BP Inc., October 2003, pp. 49 to 50, 64). [0017] In general, when an external power source unit is connected to an information processing apparatus, it is significantly important that the power source unit is compatible with the information processing apparatus. [0018] Furthermore, when the power source unit to be connected to the information processing apparatus is a fuel cell unit, the fuel management, such as the compatibility of fuel, a residual quantity thereof, and the like, is increasingly important. [0019] In particular, in a fuel cell, the fuel itself is consumed as power generation is performed, and hence supply of the fuel is required. Accordingly, the structure has been widely used in which a fuel is contained in a fuel cartridge or the like and in which this fuel cartridge is detachably mounted to a fuel cell unit. [0020] When this cartridge type fuel is used, various cases may be considered: a fuel cartridge is mounted in which a fuel is not fully consumed (for example, a fuel cartridge mounted to another fuel cell unit is used), a fuel cartridge containing a different fuel is mounted, a fuel cartridge containing a fuel at a different concentration is mounted. [0021] When a user exchanges a fuel cartridge for a new one or first mounts a fuel cartridge, an appropriate fuel cartridge is not always mounted, and in some cases, a wrong fuel cartridge may be mounted. In addition, even when an appropriate fuel cartridge is mounted, some user may desire to confirm in some cases whether an appropriate fuel cartridge is mounted or not. [0022] Hence, it becomes more important to perform a precise display to inform a user of fuel management information such as a residual fuel quantity in a mounted fuel cartridge and the type of fuel. In addition, without taking time to start up an information processing apparatus, it is desired that the fuel management information is rapidly displayed right after a fuel cartridge is mounted to a fuel cell unit. Continue reading about Information processing apparatus system, fuel cell unit, and display method thereof... Full patent description for Information processing apparatus system, fuel cell unit, and display method thereof Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Information processing apparatus system, fuel cell unit, and display method thereof patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Information processing apparatus system, fuel cell unit, and display method thereof or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Fuel cell system Next Patent Application: Integrated current sensors for a fuel cell stack Industry Class: Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus, product, and process ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Information processing apparatus system, fuel cell unit, and display method thereof patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.33828 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Software: Finance , AI , Databases , Development , Document , Navigation , Error 174 |
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